touching the water’s surface as the tides began to slowly rise with the moon. "That’s why I followed your scent. I wanted to be of some use to her . . . and the others that were sick . . ." Now the husky couldn’t help but to sob.

The male sat down beside her, using his tongue to sweetly calm her down. "Oh, Jenna . . ."

She was a little calmer after a moment, but the husky had to continue. "I didn’t understand why I was so drawn to your scent, but I’m sure glad that I did." She sniffled again, but instead of tears, there was a beautiful smile lighting up her white face. "I may have hurt myself while fighting to help you, but I . . ." Her cheeks grew pink once again; as if she knew that she was blushing, the she-dog chuckled almost shyly, even after the next sentence came out from her lips. "I . . . I think I’ve fallen in love with you, Balto."

The male was taken aback by her admission to him, his golden eyes growing wide as hers lowered lovingly towards him. "With . . . with me?" he repeated with a hint of surprise. "Really . . . you love me, Jenna?"

She only nodded, understanding the risk of her admission. "Balto, you mean everything to me . . . I know that now." Her smile remained, as did her bright pink cheeks. "You are the bravest, . . . the most wonderful, . . . the kindest . . ." Somehow, the husky couldn’t finish her sentence, starting a new one instead. "When I returned to the other dogs, they didn’t believe me when I mentioned that you were out to find the team and lead them and the medicine back to Nome . . . but I, . . . I never, ever lost faith in you." Smiling, the female’s elegant nose nudged against the male’s. He beamed at her honesty and love, too modest to offer any response to her words. "Even when Steele returned with my bandanna . . . and saying to me that you had perished, . . . I knew he was lying. That glory-hound didn’t know a thing about you . . . he never gave you a fair chance, not like Rosy or I had that day at the race." Their noses parted, and her eyes gleamed in front of his. "You’re an amazing dog, Balto . . . you really are. I’m not afraid to say that I love you . . . with all my heart."

Even after all of those words, the male’s dark-brown ears fell sadly. "You know that the other dogs will only scorn you for being with me," He painfully reminded her with a low voice. "I am half-wolf . . . I could turn on you at any moment, and I love you too . . . Oh, I never want to risk hurting you, Jenna . . ."

Once she noticed the words she had been waiting to hear herself, she lightly gasped and tackled him suddenly with nothing more than a smile and a kiss. The husky didn’t realize why her body moved as it did, but somehow, it seemed to feel right.

"J-Jenna? Wha . . ." The wolf-dog was confused by her sudden actions, most especially the strength the fragile beauty unknowingly possessed. "What are you doing?"

"Balto, let’s let them talk. I don’t care what the others will say about us anymore . . ." She paused to kiss him on the cheek with her tongue. "You just said that you loved me . . ." The hybrid’s eyes widened at the touch – it felt quite comforting . . . and he enjoyed the feel of her silkiness against his own fur. " . . . and I don’t care that you have wolf in you either."

He smiled back at her, returning the nuzzle with his scruffy nose. "Aw, Jenna . . ."

"Please, just call me Jen," She chuckled at the stray’s formality to her.

"Just Jen?"

She smiled, nodding slightly. "Mm-hmm. Just Jen." Only those that truly loved her could call the husky by that nickname . . . and there wasn’t that many that were worthy of such an honor – this canine was definitely worth the privilege. "Anyway, what I mean to say is that . . . Balto, it’s not what breed you are that matters, it’s the heart inside that truly counts . . . and that’s what I love the most about you. That’s why you’re my hero, Balto . . . and I really, truly love you."

The male canine’s face was completely red by now. Never before had anyone loved him in spite of his wolf blood, but to think this purebred pet saw through his rugged, wild looks to reveal the true beauty within . . . he was quite flattered by that show of courage from her. Somehow, he managed to grin from ear to ear.

"And . . . I love you too, Jen," He grunted a bit at the female husky’s weight on top of his own body. It was awkward for him to start calling her by this new name, but the hybrid felt proud to do so. "Ever since I first laid eyes on you, I . . . I . . ." Hesitation set in as for once, the wolf-dog grew tongue-tied in front of her. "I . . . I’ve never met anyone so sweet . . . and caring before in my life." He paused, releasing a deep sigh to get his words straight. "I’ve only ever known that city dogs would never accept me because of me being half-wolf, but that all began to change when we first met in the snowy street . . . sharing our first kiss." A pink brightness colored his cheeks by now, showing the hybrid’s true nature – he was nothing more than a gentle soul that was so misunderstood by his appearance and bloodline. "Ever since that moment, I . . . I didn’t understand what I was feeling. I just couldn’t stop thinking about you . . . and wanting to be with you . . . always."

The female smiled, turning her head to the side diffidently. "Oh, Balto . . ." She felt as if she could melt in his embrace, still remaining on top of him like a pup bonding with its father. Carefully, the husky slinked off of him, laying beside him and sighing like a young love-struck child.

"That’s why I showed you the Northern Lights that night," He continued to explain his feelings, pouring out his heart to the one he loved. "It was my secret place, a special world that was an escape from the torture in Nome and yet a memory of my wild ancestors. I thought . . . I thought it would mean so much to share it with you because . . . because you were so sad. I only wanted to lift your spirits, not cause you any more pain from Rosy’s illness." His ears drooped, remembering the thought of learning her girl’s plight. "Ever since hearing that she and other children had diphtheria, I knew it could be my big chance to show everyone that I could be a sled dog . . . and make you smile once again." Their eyes met once again, causing them to kiss nose-to-nose with nothing more than a couple of smiles.

"And you did," she responded, knowing that the male was still far too humble to admit his heroic feat. "I doubt I could ever thank you enough."

"Oh, you don’t have to thank me verbally, Jen," he answered her comment with only a sheepish smile. "Just promise that you’ll always love me, no matter what happens . . . and let me always love you in return. That’s all I’ll ever ask of you."

Every second after his request was nothing more than happy silence. The female answered in the only way that she knew he could understand – with a kiss.

 

 

It wasn’t until morning when the two of them finally left the shoreline, heading towards Jenna’s two-floor house in Nome. Balto was all smiles, as was his new mate, the ever-so-bright purebred husky, as they strolled towards the ordered buildings that towered above them as if they were merely ants in a field. He was still not used to walking into the city limits without having to worry about being shunned and bullied, but Balto now had Jenna by his side – there was no longer any need for him to be afraid.

"Balto?" Jenna’s melodious tone snapped him back to reality. "Is something wrong?"

Realizing his sudden blankness, the wolf-hybrid only shook his head, smiling at the sight of her gentle face. "Nothing’s wrong, Jen. Not while you’re here beside me."

Jenna returned the gesture, rubbing her nose against him as she always seemed to do lately. That feeling’s the same here too, she thought as they drew closer to her house. She was not one to stay out late and feared that Rosy would be ever so worried with her sudden absence. The young child was only about six or seven years old and still recovering from the antitoxin injection – having Rosy get well was more important to the young husky . . . well, that and her love for Balto, of course.

"Can we stop by the hospital first?" Jenna suggested. "I’d like to check up on how Rosy’s doing."

"Um, sure thing, Jen," Balto smiled back at her. "I want to see her too. You know how much she enjoys being around me as well."

Jenna could only look at him with nothing more than her glowing white face. She’s taken a shining to you ever since we first met, she thought of her auburn-haired owner with happiness as they began to reach closer to the center of Nome. It’s almost like she sensed your natural kindness once she watched you save her musher’s hat. Maybe one day . . . one day, her parents will adopt you into our family . . .

It took about a couple of minutes for them to trot towards the front doors of the clinic. The orange-clouded windows were bright, even in the daylight, wide as if to show the entire world what their faith had led to . . . the healing of those that were almost lost to sickness. Nurses were still carefully tending to the children still recovering, while also making sure that the diphtheria epidemic would not spread out of the large doorways via the parents and guardians that had asked for a miracle – it was still quite contagious and no one wanted to take any chances in another outbreak.

The two dogs just stood there, peering into the main waiting room where a few patients remained asleep on make-shift cots. Parents that had kept an unmoving vigil on their dear children continued to watch by their sides, almost to the point of falling into an exhausting slumber. Most of them had remained awake until the serum arrived, but parents were far too concerned about making sure that their sons and daughters would still be there once they awoke. Now, the children were

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